BANDOLERO

US, 1968, 105 minutes, Colour.
James Stewart, Dean Martin, Raquel Welch, George Kennedy, Andrew Prine, Will Geer, Clint Ritchie, Denver Pyle.
Directed by Andrew V. Mc Laglen.

Bandolero is yet another western made by Andrew V. Mc Laglan. He made many westerns in the 60's and the 70s, often with James Stewart or John Wayne. Examples are Mc Lintock , The Rare Breed, Shenandoah, Chisum, Cahill.

Bandolero is quite a standard material material but enhanced by beautiful colour photography, a sprightly score by Jerry Goldsmith and the clash dramatically between James Stewart and Dean Martin as two brothers. Raquel Welch provides the glamour. Many of the standard western themes are presented and it is quite enjoyable average western entertainment.


1.A popular western of the 60s? Routine themes? Treatment? The stars and their impact?

2.The settings, the Texas towns, the deserts, the Mexican border, Mexico? The colour photography? Jerry Fielding’s atmospheric score, the whistling, the melodies?

3.The title, the reference to bandit country in Mexico? The fugitives, the posse, the pursuing bandits? The culmination in the attack of the bandits?

4.The focus on the Bishop gang, Dee (and Dean Martin’s credibility in this role)? Pop Chaney and his son? Babe, Robbie? Their arriving in town observed by the sheriff? The robbing of the bank, the Stoners entering, the upset, the shooting, Stoner’s death? The sheriff arresting them all? Imprisoning them? Sending for the hangman?

5.The establishing of the character of Dee Bishop, riding with Quantrell, leaving home, his grief for his mother? Riding with robbers? The other members of the gang, Pop and his leering attitude, greedy? His son and his devotion to him, his son’s personality, aggressive? Robbie as genial Irish? Babe and his going along with the group?

6.Mace Bishop, riding into town, the bath, the news about the hanging? His listening to the hangman? His following him, taking over his clothes and role? Coming into town, meeting the sheriff, persuasive? The frockcoat and top hat? The plan to rescue Dee and the others? The gallows, the gun, the town unarmed? The escape? His decision to rob the bank because it was there?

7.July Johnson, his personality, integrity? Roscoe as the apprentice? His looking after him? Their work together? July Johnson and his attraction towards Maria Stoner, the visit to the hotel? The motivation and the pursuit?

8.The flight, the fugitives? Cantankerous? Their overtaking Maria Stoner, abducting her, taking her supplies? The leering attitudes and Dee’s stance against them? Mace’s arrival? His not telling them about the money?

9.The sheriff, the pursuit, the shoot-outs? Mace and his shooting from the top of the ridge and helping the group escape? The decision to pursue into Mexico, the sheriff’s determination for Maria? Roscoe’s warning? The bandits pursuing, taking and killing the tailenders? The members wanting to go back? The surprise taking of the posse in the deserted town?

10.Mace, Dee and their being tied up? The decisions by the sheriff? His courtesy towards Maria? Her rejection of him?

11.Maria, the treatment by Dee, Mace as gentlemanly? Dee and his love for Maria? His being shot defending her against the bandit leader? His death? Her grief? Mace and his support?

12.The attack of the bandits, everybody joining in the defence? Pop and his trying to get the money, his death? His son following him? Mace and his being wounded? The memories of family with his brother, two sides, issues of legality, justice? The issue of robbing the bank, giving the money back? His support of Maria?

13.The finale, Roscoe dead, the sheriff taking Maria back? A future?